WATCH theft gangs based in Barcelona are operating across Spain’s most popular holiday destinations.
Police have warned that tourists on the Costa del Sol and Balearic Islands are specifically targeted.
Since January, police have arrested 34 people suspected of belonging to organised crime groups specialising in the theft of luxury watches.
Authorities say many of these gangs are based in Barcelona and travel to Málaga, Marbella, Ibiza and Mallorca, where they identify and target tourists wearing high-value watches, as well as luxury establishments.
Since launching a nationwide crackdown on watch theft in January, police say they have solved 41 violent robberies, arrested 34 suspects, and identified a further 43 individuals still pending arrest.
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The recovered watches range in value from €15,000 to €100,000.
Authorities also warned that these robberies are often carried out with violence, citing an incident in Ibiza last August in which a woman was struck during a struggle over her watch, fell to the ground and died instantly.
Investigators say the gangs use a range of tactics to avoid detection, including wearing hats, masks or sunglasses, using false documents to secure accommodation or vehicle rentals, and even cloning licence plates to evade police.
After carrying out the thefts, they quickly return to their base in Barcelona, where the stolen goods are sold on.
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